100 Back Tattoo Ideas For Girls (With Pictures & Meaning)

Ladies! Looking to get yourself a gorgeous back tattoo? Back tattoos range from teensy tiny to a whole back piece, and what you end up getting depending on your personality, desires, and pain threshold! We’ve found some of the most gorgeous back tatts on the planet for you to have a squizz at before you get your very own.

Warning: You may have tattoo envy after checking out these pics!

Tribal Back Pieces

This woman has some remarkable tribal designs both on her lower and upper back to her neck, as well as coming down her arms. Notice how the tattoos “hug” her body. They’ve been put in all the right sports to accentuate her great features. If you’re after something like this, make sure that your tattoo artist has a great understanding of the female form!

Sprawling Back Garden

This pretty back piece also goes with the girl’s natural back shape, with a sprawling floral design across the back of her shoulders, heading all the way down to the base of her spine. You will notice that even though it’s a really large tatt, it still looks very feminine, due to the floral and intricate patterns involved. A gorgeous piece.

Three Doves

This gorgeous pin-up doll lady has some spread out flying doves across her back. Usually when people have tattoos they aren’t this spread out, but look at how the use of space really brings together this scene. If you’re not a big fan of doves but like the idea of this tattoo, why not place your own elements spread out on your back? It makes for a unique design that is sure to turn heads.

The Angel

This tattoo is obviously one that has been added to across the years. You will notice in the middle of her upper back she has a gorgeous angel (or maybe fairy?) with the words ‘Faith’ and ‘Christine’ emblazoned across it. From her there are emanating spokes of light and vines, moving into a colorful floral piece at the top of her shoulder. An interesting combine tatt.

Stylized Peacock Lady

This amazing back image has a stylized lady and her peacock with long peacock features heading up to the shoulder and two blooming flowers at the base of the spine. This type of tattoo would have been done by a highly sought after artist, and it is likely that they would’ve have pretty much free reign to do what they wanted with only guidance on size, theme, and colors.

Cheeky Back Tatt

If you’re a bit of a bad-ass then this tatt might be a good one for you – just don’t show Mom! The emblazoned ‘ASSHOLE’ along with a queen’s crown and nearby cross indicates this chick does not give a …! If you want to put your middle finger up proudly, then here’s one way to go about it!

Full Back Foo Dog

In terms of Asian design, the Foo Dog is a popular symbol of protection. This amazing full back design also incorporates a dragon at the bottom, as well as an amazing color scheme and shading. This tatt would’ve taken many, many sessions in the chair to complete!

Side Feathered Bird

Unfortunately we can’t see the whole of this tatt, however it is a large, colorful, feathered bird extending down the whole of the this girl’s side. See how far it extends onto her thigh, and how it wraps around to her front. This is a bold choice with brilliant colors. An experienced tattooist will be able to come up with a large wraparound design for you too!

Magical Fox

This outline design is very intricate – and a very popular style at the moment, mainly because you can easily add elements to an old design! The wearer here would’ve tatted the triangular tea bag up the top, followed by the fox, followed by the multiple flowers surrounding it. It makes for a very pretty and interesting piece, that can be added to easily again should she wish.

Stylized Tiger

Just look at the tiger prowling down this girl’s back! A fierce and bold tattoo that still looks cute, we really like the style work done on the tiger here. Note the jagged edges and curled instead of straight stripes. Cat tattoos are popular but we think this is a great way of doing something just a little bit different!

Birds Flying Through Frame

The beautiful frame surrounding one of the wearer’s top vertebrae really draws your eye to the middle of the back here. The birds emerging from within the frame and extending over the shoulder looks like her soul is emerging from within. This is a very pretty design that was obviously started by getting just the single dove on her shoulder.

Little Red Wren

What a piece! The little red wren sits just at the back of the wearer’s shoulder, but the interesting part of this design is it’s surrounds. The splatters and blotches make it look like an amazing painting rather than a tattoo. For a design like this, browse around for a tattoo artist that has done a similar type of work before.

A Bold Fantasy Scene

Here we have a very interesting cartoon design with a flying Medusa-like woman grabbing the head of a plant from down the back! If you are a fan of a particular cartoon or manga series then what not get your favorite scene inked on your back? Make sure that your artist is well practiced in similar designs.

Blinged Up Butterfly

If you already have a tattoo that you think isn’t that exciting, why not glue gemstones to it for a night out to make it really pop? Use eyelash glue to carefully position gems on highlights of your tattoo. If it’s a back tatt, get a friend around to help you reach!

Purple Angel Wings

A very popular choice that is easily customized is a spreading set of angel wings. The model here has huge purple feathered wings sprouting out of her mid back and draping all the way down to her hips. If you’re after a smaller design you might like to only go half way down the back.

An Artist’s Scene

There’s so much going on in this amazing piece! From the beautiful lady, to flowers, to the bird, to the dream catcher, to the shining light… and it’s all so wonderfully designed. See how you can have an amazing scene without the use of color? This tattoo would have been created by a highly in-demand artist.

Watercolor Tree

An interesting new form of tattooing is the watercolor effect – where no black outlines are drawn around your tatt. The model here has a sprouting tree growing from the middle of the back up to her shoulder and the opposite side of her back. These watercolor tattoos can have a more feminine look than traditional pieces.

Phoenixes and Spine Writing

The tattoo all the way down the spine is a popular design, whether it’s done in English, Japanese, or French. Although we can’t make out the detail of what this model’s spine tatt says, we can see the two glorious bright red and orange phoenixes surrounding it on her shoulder blades.

Doll and Her Bird

A very pretty piece of a young girl with combs in her hair, a cameo necklace, and her bird beside her.

Revealing the Inner Self

This back piece is a real thinker! The cracks reveal the truth of the model within. Words like ‘reaching’, ‘frozen’, ‘adoring’, ‘perfect’, and ‘crazy’ lie underneath. A great talking point for sure!

Japanese Full Back

This full back tatt is a tribute to all things Japanese. We have Mount Fuji, the wave scene, cherry blossoms.. it’s all there! The model is obviously a lover of all things Japanese.

The Musical Butterflies

This delightful design featured musical notes across the lower back (we wonder what the tune is?), with butterflies flying up through them and over to the shoulder. This is a very gorgeous, feminine design.

Butterflies and Flowers

Here are some more butterflies, this time flying up through a flower scene. Note how only the flowers pop with color here.

The Mythological Tribute

This tattoo heavily features mythological elements, from the totem pole, to the winged cats either side of the shoulder blades protecting the wearer. The model must have a keen interest in mythology.

Alice in Wonderland

Ever felt like Alice in Wonderland as she slides down the rabbit hole? This model has dedicated her entire arms and back to that feeling! The cartoon elements and playful bright colors make this one tattoo we won’t be forgetting in a hurry.

Day of the Dead Full Back

Wow! The intricate large skull here marks the centerpiece of this model’s amazing full back tattoo. From the jeweled eyes of the skull to the huge blooming colorful flowers, everything about this piece is exceptional.

Purple Blooms

Flowers are always popular with females. This piece is large purple blooms all down the lady’s left side.

Deconstructed Clock

Time slipping away from you? This deconstructed clock looks amazing, trickling down the wearer’s back.

Colorful Floral Design

This type of tattoo was extremely popular in the late 90s. The water lilies still look just as beautiful today.

My Back My Way

This lady has gone to a great deal of effort to include all the things she wants in her back piece. From the crying girl, to the butterflies, to the fingerprint, everything blends in perfectly – no disjointed tatts here!

Roses and Guns

This stylized tatt shows the classic guns and roses tattoo. We really like the use of space down the middle of her back and think it goes well with her bow suspender tatts!

The Timepiece

Another interesting deconstructed clock design, this tatt includes musical notes and a dragon fly too.

The Gecko

In Asian cultures, geckos are thought to be lucky! This lady obviously thought so too, as it now climbs up her back.

The Mandala

Mandalas are special symbology that are painstakingly drawn and then erased just as quickly. This mandala is designed to last forever, though.

The Lyre Bord

A beautiful scene here of the bird among butterfly wings and water. Check out the tiny yin yang symbol at the top right – cool!

More Birds and Flowers

We really love the colors put into this birds and flowers scene. Make sure that you pick wisely with your colors as well as your design!

Stingray and Turtle

This model must have quite an affinity for the sea. Up the top of her back there is a huge stingray and at the bottom is a turtle. She’s filled them in with a tribal design.

The Spine Vine

The oak leaves are trailing down her spine here.

Butterfly Wings

Another take on the popular angel wings is butterfly wings.

Stylized Cat

Want something different? This stylized cat looks amazing!

Skull and Rose

A very popular skull and rose done with shading.

The Phoenix

The rising phoenix represents new birth.

Butterfly Lover

This girl has transformed her lower back tramp stamp into a whole body full of butterflies – and we love it!

Skull and Snake

A stylized take on the skull and roses design, they’ve added an asp too.

Blooming Flower

A different take on the floral design, this one is a bit more abstract.

Abstract Circle

Abstract patterns can be an alternative to a traditional scene.

Bird Down Spine

This bird extends from the top of the back to the bottom, all the way down the spine.

Mid Back Tree

Another tree, this time growing from the center of the back with doves flying to it.

Cartoon Owl

We just love this stylized owl chilling over there on her shoulder!

Watercolor Four Leaf Clover

This watercolor tattoo shows that the wearer is lucky in love.

Feather and Doves

These two popular designs have been combined for an interesting ink feature.